The most amazing thing about Europa city was the waterfalls. They came out of every structure. Two types of buildings formed the metropolis, sturdy structures built into the thick ice, and giant skyscrapers like icebergs, towering above the ice with over half of their size beneath the water. Rheed had read somewhere that many homes had waterfalls for doorways; mechanisms would part the water for people to enter and exit, then freeze it over as a lock. He also heard that the water falls were part of a system to keep buoyancy for the floating building. One thing he knew for sure as the shuttle brought him between the buildings like a bird, the view was amazing. Rheed wasn’t sure if this was the standard flight path or if the officials were showing off a bit, but either way he didn’t mind the 20 minutes it took for him to get to the capitol building.
“You got everything you need Danica?” Rheed spoke through his earpiece to his orbiting partner.
“Oh yes, yes, yes I do. Did you know this ship is a mega yacht, a mega SPACE yacht? I think I saw this ship online once.”
“Yeah Greg said it was a seized from a drug dealer a while back, he thought it would be comfortable.”
“Oh yes, yes I am. Did you know this is the master suite? It’s bigger then my whole apartment, why did you let me have it again?”
“You’re going to be there more running support, so do you have everything you need to do that, the “your job” part?”
“Huh? Oh right, I’m connected to the planets internet, just waiting for all the official red tape for you to clear up so I can access all their law enforcement databases, or yaknow, I could just…”
“No, just play something on your new super computer.”
“Everything’s so pretty……..”
“Not like this…” Rheed watched the cityscape vanish as his shuttle entered the dock in the capitol building. He turned his attention to the shuttle’s door, straightened his tie and collar, and removed his badge from his vest, placing it in the outer pocket of his heavy coat. One he bought when he realized he would be traveling to the cold depths of the solar system. It had an internal microfiber system that allowed it to be much warmer and stronger then it looked, and it had a brown earthy tone that unexpected to Rheeds intentions let everyone know where he was from.
“Marcus Rheed!” The European official said the words like an excited old friend; Marcus didn’t recognize his face or name. His entourage of security and aides suggested status, but no one seemed thrilled with being there, they all looked like they were at work. “Welcome to the crowning jewel of the Galian moons!” His open arms didn’t close until he was within a yard of Marcus and dropped them for a far too excited handshake. “I am Senator Jonas Fortune” That explains it. “Come, I’ve arranged a whole day of tours around our great city, we will start at the north eastern-“
“Thank you but that won’t be necessary at the moment.” Marcus felt a part of himself die as he spoke the words, but he was here to work, at least this time…
“Of Course of course, you’re reputation precedes you, I’ve had the police chief standing by to greet you personally, and my staff has been told to take all your calls and ensure you are seen to, do you have arrangements for a place to stay? I have rooms on reserve at several of the finest-“
“Again, thank you, but that won’t be necessary; I don’t know how long I’ll be staying. I will however need the appropriate credentials assigned to my partner on board my ship so she access all the law enforcement databases to look for our target.”
“Ah yes your ship, The Rain, such a beautiful name,” Actually it was The Reign, the drug lord who owned it liked the play on words it achieved while he would float above regions he controlled. “The only such rain on Europa comes from our great waterfalls; I’ve heard natural rain like on Earth and Venus is quiet spectacular, yes?”
“…………..uhm, yeah, it’s awesome.”
“You know I hope to one day stay on earth for a while, maybe as, oh an ambassador or something.” He tried a bit too hard to make it sound like a casual achievement.
“You don’t say.” Marcus dropped any attempts to disguise his lack of interest in the brown nosed senator.
“Well I’ll let you get to work, no rest for the wicked, yes?” The senator smiled largely and patted Marcus arms, Rheed thought the Senator might not actually understand that phrase. “I have designated my lovely assistant here to take you wherever you need, and grant you every service you require.” Did he just say… “It was good to meet you Marcus!”
Rheed was unable to help watching the Senator’s entourage leave the docking bay, turning around just in time to notice the attractive yet nerdy looking aide pulling her skirt slightly higher, then quickly unbuttoning one more button down her blouse before looking straight at him through her thick black glasses, smiling and striking a pose. Marcus starred for a second as he considered the amount of paperwork required in accusing a Senator of prostitution, and then dismissed it as a lower priority due to the redundant nature of the accusation.
“Uhm, so, the central police station?” The girl straightened immediately and nodded, eagerly running ahead in heels that were obviously a bit taller than she was used to, making more noise then necessary due to the many short steps the tighter then she was used to skirt cause her to take. Rheed followed at a casual pace.
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